NASA Releases 2018 To Do List: Send a Robot to Mars, Journey To The Sun And More

In December of 2017, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a YouTube video of things to do in 2018. Much of the list is business as usual. Some make geeks excited. And a select few look like projects straight out of science fiction. Now, we take a look at the NASA 2018 To Do List.

Send a Robot to Mars

In 1971, the Soviet Union launched the first probe to touch down on Mars. Since then, there have been seven successful probe missions to the Red Planet. We haven’t successfully returned to Mars since the 1997 Pathfinder mission, so NASA plans to launch the InSight robotic lander in May 2018 to break the hiatus. InSight’s purpose is to study the interior of the planet, but it is also a step to a greater goal: sending a man to Mars.

Launch Astronauts with American Companies from US Soil

In 2014, the Obama administration announced that it should not be dependent on Russia to send astronauts into space. Thus, NASA chose Boeing and SpaceX to transport crews to and from the International Space Station. According to NASA, turning over the transportation of space crews to these companies will allow the administration to focus on “even more ambitious projects.” This of course, is the manned space mission to Mars.

Visit an Asteroid as Old as Our Solar System

In 2016, NASA launched an asteroid sample-and-return mission called OSIRIS-REx. The craft is nearly 58 million kilometers away from earth and traveling at 33 km/s. It is expected to arrive at its destination — Asteroid 101955 Bennu — in August this year. Meanwhile, you can keep track of mission progress here.

Search for Planets Around Distant Stars

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will launch in March 2018. Its mission, as with all space telescopes, is to search for planets in other star systems. TESS boasts an array of four cameras. Each camera features a 16.8MP CCD detector and 24° × 24° FOV.

Embark on a Journey to the Sun

If all goes according to plan, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will launch in the summer of 2018. The craft will fly closer than ever to the sun, entering its outer corona. On-board scientific equipment will be protected from the intense heat with a “reinforced carbon-carbon shadow-shield.” That’s science-speak for carbon fiber in graphite designed to block out direct solar radiation.

Prepare to Send Humans to the Moon and Beyond

NASA and the ESA have been hard at work on the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion Spacecraft. These two projects are enormous stepping stones toward future space missions including man’s return to the moon. Orion in particular is something to watch out for. Lockheed-Martin is in charge of building the spacecraft. In 1999, the company achieved infamy for a simple math error that cost the US a $125 million orbiter. They’ve had a good track record since then. Still, a successful Orion launch may finally wash the bad taste out of aerospace enthusiasts’ throats.

Prepare to Launch the Next Great Observatory

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is approaching the final stages of development. The telescope, armed with 18 mirrors, hopes to launch in 2019. It is designed to reach further into the infrared end of the electromagnetic spectrum than any telescope before. NASA boasts that the JWST will be the “premier observatory of the next decade.” A bold claim, but likely true.

Live and Work in Space for the 18th Consecutive Year

Nothing entirely new, but watching astronauts do their work in space is always fun. There really isn’t much to say here. Enthusiasts are excited about more clips of things done in zero-gravity. More importantly, activity on the International Space Station is proof of concept of the next item on the list.

Partner with Companies on Deep Space Habitats

Human beings are getting closer to the sci-fi dream of outer space living. The NextSTEP program awards several companies a partnership on developing habitat systems, environmental control systems, and life support systems. There is also the X-Hab challenge,where university students conceptualize and develop solutions to problems in outer space survival.

Monitor Our Dynamic Earth

At least two earth-observation satellites will see a launch this year. A new Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Satellite mission is scheduled for launch this year. This follows the end-of-mission of GRACE-1 and GRACE-2 in October 2017. GRACE will study the distribution of water across the planet. Another satellite, ICESat-2 will launch into a near-polar orbit to monitor ice in the arctic and Antarctic regions. Meanwhile, NASA will launch a new system called GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) Lidar to the International Space Station. The purpose of this system is to “characterize the effects of changing climate and land use on ecosystem structure and dynamics to enable radically improved quantification and understanding of the Earth’s carbon cycle and biodiversity.”

Fly an Efficient and Eco-friendly Electric Airplane

The X-57 Maxwell will hopefully see its first flight this year. The plane originates from a technology development program called the Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller. The X-57 has 14 propellers on each wing. Each propeller operates individually of the others, and at different speeds, allowing for maximum efficiency. If successful, the X-57 will pave the way towards an age of flight less dependent on fossil fuels. The engines are smoother and quieter than jet engines as well, so that’s an advantage for ride comfort.

Partner with Industry to Make Sonic Booms Quieter

Sonic booms are an unavoidable effect of supersonic flight. With proper aerodynamic design, however, it is possible to reduce the noise of a supersonic plane from a boom into a mere thump. NASA and Lockheed-Martin are working on one such design called the Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST). A fully-functioning model is still a long way off, but expect the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator sometime after the X-57’s maiden flight this year.

Fire Thrusters with Eco-friendly Propellant

NASA is also looking for more eco-friendly alternatives to rocket fuel. The Green Propellant Infusion Mission aims to reduce the dependence of spacecraft on toxic and corrosive hydrazine. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation is the driving force behind this initiative. The partnership’s latest development is a hydroxylammonium nitrate blend that offers 50% better performance than hydrazine.

Improve Space Navigation

The Deep Space Atomic Clock is an ultra-precise mercury-ion atomic clock intended for deep space radio navigation. The US Air Force will deploy the device as part of its Space Test Program 2 mission in April this year.

Find New Ways to Harness the Sun’s Energy

The idea here is called “Solar Electric Propulsion.” The concept in itself isn’t new, as solar energy has been used to power engines since the late half of the 20th century. However, advances in modern technology now allow the sun to power ion thrusters capable of pushing ships through space with 10 times less fuel than conventional rockets.

Celebrate Our 60th Birthday

Dwight Eisenhower established NASA on October 1, 1958, to encourage civilian advances in space science. In the 60 years since then, the agency has seen a roller coaster of ups and downs. Nonetheless, it persists to reach for more. It continues to push boundaries and go further beyond. For the most part, NASA fulfills Eisenhower’s vision for what it was meant to be: a peaceful symbol of mankind’s advancements in science. What’s next for NASA? What can we expect as they continue forward? Only time will tell.